Emergency signaling device



Jan. 26, 1965 G. c. JOHNSON 3,167,050

EMERGENCY SIGNALING nzvxcs Filed May 3, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l /4 fi z! z! A? I Z/ dil 4 Z! J2 l Mim ull INVENTOR. f/I/Y/Y 6' .fd/l/J'd/g. BY QCX M -W J/w.

Jan. 26, 1965 G. C. JOHNSON EMERGENCY SIGNALING DEVICE Filed May 3, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,167,050 EMERGENCY SIGNALING DEVICE Glenn C. Johnson, Hyattsville, Md., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed May 3, 1963, Ser. No. 277,963 3 Claims. (Cl. 116-124) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes Without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to an emergency signaling device and more particularly to a smoke, signal, or illuminating flare for use by an aircraft pilot in a distress situation.

Emergency life rafts and many crewmen of aircraft are provided with signaling devices for use in emergency situations. A good emergency signal should be compact, be safe to handle and store, and also should be easily ignited as a person who has need for such a device may be injured or handicapped. In addition, it is desirable that the signal provide smoke for use in daylight and provide light for use at night.

Heretofore known signaling devices have had several inherent disadvantages. One main disadvantage is that the signals could not be easily operated, particularly by persons who may have sustained injuries in making emergency landings. Also the combination smoke and flare signals were not readily identified in darkness.

The present invention provides a small, compact, signaling device that can readily be activated by using only one hand. A pair of similar rectangular-shaped containers are pivotally connected together at one end with one container holding a smoke-producing composition and the other container holding a flare composition. A torsion spring is provided to maintain the containers in a side to side relationship. Each unit is initiated by a primer which is fired by a striker assembly similar to that used on a hand grenade. The striker assemblies are each maintained in a cocked position by a cover that is slidably attached to the container. The covers, which are of different configuration in order to identify the particular compositions, are held together by a release bottom that is spring-biased against a pair of locking pins.

When it is desired to ignite one of the compositions, the release button is first pushed downwardly and then outwardly to disengage the locking pins. The torsion spring will then cause a relative rotation of one hundredeighty degrees so that the two units will then be in an end to end relationship. The unit to be activated is then identified by the configuration of the cover, and the cover is then removed by pushing the cover sideways, relative to the container. As the cover becomes disengaged, the striker assembly is actuated to ignite a primer which, in turn, ignites the signal producing composition. A short delay of the fu ze permits the operator to re-position his hand to the unit that is not being actuated and this unit serves as a handle. The pyrotechnic compositions are designed to burn from 15 to 60 seconds.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved signaling device that can be used either during the day or night.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination signaling device that consists of a smoke unit and a flare unit.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a signaling device that can be operated by using only one hand.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a combination signaling device having a smoke unit and a flare unit with one of said units serving as a handle while the other unit is burning.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a signaling device showing a smoke container and a flare container in a locked side to side position;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged top view of the signaling device shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a front view of a signaling device showing a smoke container and a flare container in an end to end position; and

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 of the drawing only showing the smoke cover removed and the cover partially broken away to show parts in section.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 1-4, there is shown a first container 11 having a flare composition therein and a second container 12 having a smoke composition therein. Containers 11 and 12 are hinged together by means of tabs 13 and 14 and pin 15. Spring 16 is supported around pin 15 and tends to bias containers 11 and 12 in an end to end position, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 of the drawings. Containers 11 and 12 are each provided with a pair of lugs 17 on each side, and covers 18 and 19 are slidably engaged with the respective lugs on containers 11 and 12.

Cover 18 has a plate 52 attached thereto which has a rounded end configuration 21, that might also be painted, to indicate that it closes a container having a flare composition, and cover 19 has a plate 51 attached thereto which has a sloping portion 22 to indicate that it closes a container having a smoke composition. Cover 18 is provided with a locking pin 23 that has an enlarged diameter portion and cover 19 has a similar locking pin 24 that also has an enlarged diameter portion. A release button 25 is provided with a pair of slots 26 and 27, as best shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, and the ends of these slots are provided with a counterbore that will accommodate the enlarged diameter portions of the locking pins 23 and 24. A spring 28 is attached, as by rivet 29, to the underside of release button 25 to bias release button 25 against the enlarged diameter portions of locking pins 23 and 24.

Container 11 contains a lower layer of fire clay 31 and an upper layer of flare mixture 32. A starter pellet 33 is provided at the upper surface of flare mixture 32. The flare mixture 32 may, for example, be comprised of the following formulation:

Parts by weight Magnesium (granulation 16) 6 Strontium nitrate 60 Potassium perchlorate 10 Polyvinyl chloride l5 Gilsonite (asphalt) a product of Ziegler Chemical & Mining Corp., Great Neck, New York 10 Linseed oil 3 The strontium nitrate is mixed with the potassium perchlorate and the polyvinyl chloride, and this mixture is blended through a thirty mesh screen three times. The Gilsonite is then added, and the mixture is again blended through a thirty mesh screen three times. Next the linseen oil and magnesium are blended together through a The starter pellet, by way of example, might be comprised of the following formulation:

Parts by weight Lead peroxide 6 Cupric oxide 6 Silicon 8 The ingredients are mixed together and then blended four times through a thirty mesh screen. The mixture is then mixed with a suitable binder solution and then compacted into a pellet Weighing about grams.

A striker assembly 35 is positioned in container 11 above the flare mixture 32. A striker 36 is rotatably supported in housing 37 by means of shaft 38, and a sp ing 39, which is supported around shaft 38, provides a bias action to striker 36. A primer 41 is mounted in housing 37 so that it is in position to be struck by striker 36. Striker 36 is maintained in a cocked position by cover 18 which prevents striker 36 from rotating.

Container 12 contains a smoke mixture 42 which, by way of example, might be comprised of the following formulation:

Parts by weight Each ingredient is first screened through a sixty mesh screen and then the oil scarlet dye, golden yellow dye, sugar, Sil-O-Cel insulating powder, and graphite are blended three times through a thirty mesh screen. potassium chlorate is then added and the mixture is again blended three times through a thirty mesh screen. The parafiin oil is next thoroughly blended by hand with the mixture, and the mixture is again blended three times through a thirty mesh screen.

Smoke mixture 42 is compacted in container 12, and a hollow center is provided to accommodate a firecracker tainer 11, which will serve as a holder while smoke composition 42 is burning.

Flare composition 32 can be ignited in a similar manner. After release button 25 has been removed and con:

tainers 11 and 12 have rotated to an end to end position,

cover 18 can be slidably removedthus allowing striker 36 to be actuated and strike primer 41. Primer 41 will ignite starter pellet 33 which, in turn, will ignite flare mixture 32. 7

It can thus be seen that the present invention provides a complete smoke producing unit for daytime signaling and a complete light producing unit for night use. The

a two units are arranged in a side-to-side position for stow- The fuse 44 which has one end attached to a primer 45'. A

passing through slots 26 and 27, respectively. When re-' lease button 25 completely clears pins 23 and 24, spring 16 causes containers 11 and 12 to be relatively rotated to an end to endposition, as shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. unit containing the smoke composition 42, and cover 19 is then slidably moved by pushingon either pin 24 or plate 51. When cover 19 has cleared the lugs 17, the spring force of striker assembly 4 6 will cause cover 19 to flip. off of container 12 and striker 47 will then rotate and The sloping portion 22 on cover 19 identifies the.

strike primer 45, which will in turn ignite the fire cracker A composition 42 will be ignited, and during this delay period the operator can be sliding'his hand down to confuze 44. There will be a few seconds delay before smoke age and for carriage by an operator, and can be ignited by a relatively small force by an injured operator acting under adverse conditions.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the-above teachings. It is therefore to he understood, that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is: I

1. An emergency signaling device comprising,

a first container having an open end and containing a smoke composition,

a second container having an open end and containing a flare composition, said first and second containers being pivotally connected together at the ends opposite said open ends,

a striker assembly mounted in each said container adjacent said open end,

first and second primers positioned one each near the open ends of said first and second containers, respectively, said first primer being adaptable to be ignited upon actuation of said striker assembly in said first container thereby igniting said smoke composition and said second primer being adaptable to be ignited upon actuation of said striker assembly in said second container thereby igniting said flare composition,

first and second covers slidably attached to said first Y and second containers, respectively, said covers closing said open end and retaining said striker assemblies in cocked position,

first and second locking pins attached, respectively, to

said first and second covers,

a release button engageable with said first and second locking pins for locking said covers together, and

spring means for biasing said first and second conr tainers in an end-to-end relationship.

2. An emergency signaling device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said locking pin is provided with anenlarged diameter portion and said release button is springbiased against said enlarged diameter portions.

3. An emergency signaling device as set forth in claim A 1 wherein said first cover is provided with a sloping portion to physically distinguish said first cover from said cover.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS J. CAPQZI, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN EMERGENCY SIGNALING DEVICE COMPRISING, A FIRST CONTAINER HAVING AN OPEN END AND CONTAINING A SMOKE COMPOSITION, A SECOND CONTAINER HAVING AN OPEN END AND CONTAINING A FLARE COMPOSITION, SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONTAINERS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TOGETHER AT THE ENDS OPPOSITE SAID OPEN ENDS, A STRIKER ASSEMBLY MOUNTED IN EACH SAID CONTAINER ADJACENT SAID OPEN END, FIRST AND SECOND PRIMERS POSITIONED ONE EACH NEAR THE OPEN ENDS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONTAINERS, RESPECTIVELY, SAID FIRST PRIMER BEING ADAPTABLE TO BE IGNITED UPON ACTUATION OF SAID SRIKER ASSEMBLY IN SAID FIRST CONTAINER THEREBY IGNITING SAID SMOKE COMPOSITION AND SAID SECOND PRIMER BEING ADAPTABLE TO BE IGNITED UPON ACTUATION OF SAID STRIKER ASSEMBLY IN SAID SECOND CONTAINER THEREBY IGNITING SAID FLARE COMPOSITION, FIRST AND SECOND COVERS SLIDABLY ATTACHED TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONTAINERS, RESPECTIVELY, SAID COVERS CLOSING SAID OPEN AND RETAINING SAID STRIKER ASSEMBLIES IN COCKED POSITION, FIRST AND SECOND LOCKING PINS ATTACHED, RESPECTIVELY, TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND COVERS, A RELEASE BUTTON ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND LOCKING PINS FOR LOCKING SAID COVERS TOGETHER, AND SPRING MEANS FOR BIASING SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONTAINERS IN AN END-TO-END RELATIONSHIP. 